LG outs Lifeband Touch Fitness Tracker and Reveals WebOS TV Plans
LG’s Life Band Touch is a fitness tracker that offers smartwatch features, including incoming call notifications and display. It uses Bluetooth LE, and works with both Android and iOS devices.
Las Vegas: Korean Hardware Maker LG kicked off CES on Monday by unveiling the LG Lifeband Touch fitness tracker, and also spilled some details about its WebOS TV plans.The Lifeband Touch is LG’s answer to the Nike Fuelband, and is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. The device connects to devices using Bluetooth 4.0, and features a touch-enabled OLED display that provides real-time fitness data
It’s not just aimed at those keen on keeping fit, as the device can also display alerts for incoming phone calls, text messages and media notifications. The device will be available in the US this spring, although UK availability is still to be announced. LG also spoke about its plans to resurrect HP’s defunct WebOS operating system, which it will load into its smart TVs going forward.
Dr Skott Ahn, president and CTO of LG said, “WebOS is an operating system that was optimized for the web. We believe in the ability of WebOS, and believe it provides the most intuitive user interface. We have applied it to our TVs and, as a result, we have revolutionized how you can use smart TVs.”
LG boasts that WebOS makes smart TVs much easier to use than before, with the operating system’s card-based OS offering easy navigation around all of its main features, including access to YouTube, social networks and Netflix.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings was at the press conference, and said, “We’ve been on an adventure with LG to create the best possible experience on televisions directly. LG also unveiled Homechat at CES, a new language processing technology that allows owners of LG home appliances to control them via text message. For example, if you ask your fridge, “Are there any beers?” it will text back the number available. As if that wasn’t enough, LG unveiled the world’s first 105 in curved Ultra HD 4K TV on Sunday, along with smaller 65’’, 79’’, 84i’’and 94’’ models.